UK heatwave prompts water safety warnings for garden hoses

A red extreme‑heat warning has been issued for the United Kingdom as temperatures rise to a record‑breaking 38 °C in London and up to 35 °C across Wales. Health officials warn that garden hoses left submerged in paddling pools, ponds or buckets can cause backflow, drawing contaminated water into home plumbing, and that hot hoses can foster Legionella bacteria, which may cause Legionnaire’s disease when inhaled.

WaterSafe Register, the directory of approved plumbers, urges households to install a double‑check valve on every outside tap and to adopt safe practices: keep hose ends out of standing water, store hoses in a cool, dry place when not in use, run them briefly before each use, fit trigger nozzles, and consider using buckets or watering cans instead. Jonathan Samuel, director of WaterSafe Register, stresses that “the risk from Legionella bacteria is real” during prolonged heatwaves and advises homeowners to have their taps checked by a WaterSafe‑registered plumber.

These precautions aim to protect drinking‑water quality and public health throughout the heatwave period.